MBTA dumps plan for Commuter Rail Wi-Fi towers

Thursday

Aug 10, 2017 at 1:06 PMAug 11, 2017 at 11:14 AM

Melissa Russell mrussell@wickedlocal.com @WalthamNewsTrib

After receiving negative feedback from state legislators and the public, the MBTA announced Thursday, Aug. 10, that it will not be going forward with a recently announced plan to improve wireless internet service on the Commuter Rail, and has invited the contractor to submit a proposal for a "more modest" project.

The original proposal, which called for erecting more than 300 74-foot tall monopole towers along Commuter Rail train tracks, was negatively received by community leaders, who were concerned the poles would detrimentally impact the character and historic features of their towns.

According to a press release from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, the MBTA has informed BAI Communications that their proposal "is not consistent with the license agreement," which anticipated a more modest project involving the use of "short monopoles" or existing light poles to provide Wi-Fi.

The project was to provide higher data speeds, reliable connectivity and coverage along all Commuter Rail lines, stations and parking lots. Internet service on the Lowell Line, which includes Winchester, is currently at zero or very poor, according to the MBTA’s information. The original plan called for Winchester to host three poles. Many other suburban communities were slated to host a similar number of the poles.

BAI’s original proposal would double the size of every pole and install an extensive fiber network in order to create infrastructure to lease to cellular providers. The MBTA informed BAI that only "excess space" would be available for lease to third-party communication providers.

Last month, Winchester state Sens. Jason Lewis and Pat Jehlen signed on to a letter to the MBTA to produce a "less intrusive and burdensome" plan that would deliver internet service to commuters without "impacting the host communities."

The MBTA had contracted with inMOTION Wireless in 2014 to improve Wi-Fi service on the Commuter Rail. According to the original plan, inMOTION, which was acquired by BAI Communications in March, would bear the costs of building the system, delivering Wi-Fi service to commuters at no cost. The MBTA would receive 7.5 percent of the revenue generated by the project. Cellular companies could lease space on the poles, conceivably providing better cellphone service for the host communities, according to the MBTA.

On July 5, after receiving opposition in regard to the height and locations of some of the monopoles, the MBTA instituted a month-long review period. In their letter, dated July 28, legislators stated the "proliferation of hundreds of 74-foot high poles towering over our neighbors is anathema," and asked the MBTA to take "every available action to prevent harm to the communities scheduled to host towers." They also requested the MBTA seek out more proposals and alternatives that would be more effective, generate more revenue, and be less burdensome" to communities.

The MBTA has invited BAI to submit a new proposal that would reflect the more modest project they say is consistent with the license agreement, "on a timeframe that is consistent with the MBTA’s transportation and safety needs."